Tito Sotto: Garin, Catapang disregarded Ebola protocol

(UPDATED 10:06 p.m.) Acting Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III on Monday chided military and health officials for visiting Filipino peacekeepers undergoing a 21-day quarantine in Caballo Island.

 

In an interview with reporters, Sotto said Armed Forced chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr and acting Health Secretary Janette Garin disregarded their own protocol when they made the visit.

  

“Dapat kaming mga public officials ang mangunguna sa pag iingat. So kung ika-quarantine mo ng 21 days yung grupo, bakit ka bibisita nang hindi ka nakaprotective gear. Wag namang ganun, e porke official sila, hindi sila tatablan (ng sakit),” he said.

 

“I’m worried for them actually. Kung may incubation period, hindi pa nila alam kung may ebola dun o wala. Nakakanerbyos yan. What if lumitaw later on na merong ebola so sa mga opisyal pa natin ng gobyerno baka mahawa. Kailangang i-quarantine din yung mga nagpunta dun,” he said.

 

The peacekeepers who came from Ebola-hit Liberia were under quarantine as a safety precaution against the virus which killed thousands of people in African countries.

 

Sotto said if the officials believed the soldiers were cleared of the virus, then they should be allowed to be with their families.

 

“Unless Dra. Garin is absolutely sure that everything is clear, so if everything is clear why keep them there. Hindi ko naman gustong sabihing mali, dapat masyado tayong nag iingat, dapat doble pag-iingat. They have somehow violated their own protocol,” he said.

In a report on 24 Oras, Garin said Ebola Virus Disease or EVD wasn't contagious if those who were suspected of having the virus didn't have symptoms.

"Hindi nakakahawa ang ebola kung walang sintomas ang pasyente pero kinakailangan ang maigting na pagbabantay," Garin said.

Catapang said there was no violation of Ebola virus protocol.